


Masked Intentions - Helsaween 2020

by Helsanon



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, Costumes, Deception, Disney, Disney Movies, Drama, F/M, Halloween, Helsaween (Disney), Helsaween 2020 (Disney), Kingdom of Arendelle (Disney), Masks, Movie: Frozen (2013), Party, Post-Frozen (2013), Redemption, Tourism, Venezia | Venice, banquet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27017197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helsanon/pseuds/Helsanon
Summary: Anna arrives at Elsa's office with an invitation to a masquerade ball in Venice, with Kristoff and Olaf tagging along. At the ball, a mysterious character approaches Elsa and old feelings will resurface.Written for the Helsaween 2020 event.Helsa; Iceburns; Kristanna
Relationships: Anna & Kristoff (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa & Hans (Disney), Elsa/Hans (Disney)
Kudos: 12
Collections: ❄❄❄





	Masked Intentions - Helsaween 2020

**Helsaween Week 2 – Masked Intentions**

\- This story happens after Frozen Fever -

“Elsa! Look at this!”

Anna entered Elsa’s office in a hurry. The queen was dealing with some important papers and had a most serious expression when her younger sister rushed in, smiling.

“What is it, Anna?”

“We’ve been invited to a ball! A masquerade ball!”

The strawberry blonde barely hid her excitement with the situation and quickly passed the invitation to Elsa; she read it silently. Anna paid attention to her sister’s face – and noticed a shy smile when she ended.

“Hmm. That doesn’t happen every day.”

“I know! Let’s go!”

Elsa looked at her sister, pensive; her fingers drummed on the table. Anna had her hands closed and near her neck, eyes glaring at the platinum blonde. To both of them, it seemed like a long time while Elsa was thinking.

“Pleeease!” Anna tipped her head sideways, trying to appear cuter. Elsa sighed, defeated.

“Okay. But we have only a month to prepare ourselves. Let me delegate some pressing matters to Kai before I can concentrate on it.”

“YES! You’re going to love it, sis!” Anna ran to her sister and hugged her tenderly; Elsa responded in kind.

Kristoff, Anna’s fiancé, was just passing by when he saw the scene. Olaf, the resident talking snowman, was also with him.

“Ah, there you are, Anna. Wait, I want warm hugs too!” Olaf walked towards the girls and hugged their legs. He motioned to Kristoff to come too and the blond man did as he was asked – giving them all a bear hug.

After some minutes, Elsa tapped on Anna’s back.

“I need to finish some paperwork, sis. I’ll meet you all at dinner.”

Everyone broke contact at that and Anna made a curtsy to Elsa; Olaf and Kristoff mimicked her.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Giggling, Anna grabbed Kristoff’s hands and left the room, followed by Olaf. Elsa looked at them go, with a smile on her face and leaning on her desk. After that, she picked up the invite and gave it another reading. The masquerade ball would happen in Venice, a city on the Mediterranean Sea. They’d have to leave early to arrive there on time. Such balls were famous for their opulence and high fashion; it would be a real challenge to their creativity and skills.

Other European courts were also invited. That was something Elsa skipped at her first reading. One of them drew her attention… 

_The Southern Isles_.

Arendelle and The Southern Isles were on amicable terms after the latter King, through his ambassador, told Elsa and Anna that Hans (his son and 13th son) was properly punished for his actions during the queen’s coronation days. He was given some options and chose to collect manure from the royal stables for an entire year, in penance. His sentence was already over by now and his destiny was unknown to the Arendellian royal family. A sliver of fear crossed Elsa’s mind: would he attend? Was he disinherited by his own family? Where was he? Her fisted right hand leaned on her mouth, her right arm supported by her left arm and her expression transpired her worried mind.

However, she knew those were just conjectures of her brain. Whatever the ginger prince was doing wasn’t her problem anymore. She had to focus on Arendelle. _The past is in the past_ , she sang to herself once; that eased her state of mind and she whistled the tune of that same song while sitting on her chair and dealing with her daily ordeals.

At dinner, the royal table was filled with the most delicious food the palace cooks could prepare. Anna tried to hold back Kristoff – still unused to some table _etiquette_ – who was eyeing, with famished eyes, a succulent boar. Olaf, not needing to eat, just waved a glass of water right and left, pretending to make a toast. When Elsa arrived, everyone stood up and made curtsies/bows to her, being answered in kind by the queen. She sat at the head of the table, saying some prayers before diving on the food; the others did the same. It was really good and all of them sent their compliments to the kitchen staff. 

After eating a lot, Kristoff excused himself and went to his room to take a most deserved nap. Olaf was playing with the cutlery while the sisters opened a bottle of red wine.

“So… the masquerade ball, right?” Elsa sipped a bit of her wine.

“I can’t wait to be there! Oh, Elsa! We have to sew the costumes! I have so MANY ideas!” Anna drank larger gulps of her wine. Elsa giggled a bit.

“Well, sis, you’ll have to choose one soon. Our trip to Venice will take a lot of time! I believe we leave in three weeks.”

“Three weeks? Hah! Child’s play, Elsa!” Anna gulped the last of the wine in her glass and poured more.

“Still, you have to choose one. I have mine already in mind.”

“But your magic is not fair! You can produce… waaait a minute. You can create our both dresses!” Anna's eyes sparked, thrilled at the possibilities.

“Not this time. As you said, it would be unfair to the others present there. Also, I’m looking forward to sewing dresses with you. I remember Mom sewing one for you.”

“Aww!” Both girls toasted their glasses and drank to such happy memories.

“You’re going to a ball? What about me? I want to go, too!” Olaf interjected, to much surprise of the sisters.

“Erm… of course, you can come! And Kristoff, as well! Right, Elsa?” Anna had a nervous smile, looking at her sister. Elsa thought for a moment, sipping her wine twice before answering.

“Why not? The boys also should have fun.”

Olaf exploded in happiness and hugged both girls, before leaving the room straight to the library. “I will learn how to sew right now!” Elsa and Anna couldn’t hold their laughter at the situation and finished their wine.

Two and a half weeks passed and almost everything was ready. They all needed help from the palace staff and even the most famous Arendellian tailor was summoned. Olaf’s costume was the simplest one: he wore a blueish half- _volto_ mask (which had a hole for his carrot nose) and a blue cape filled with gold embroidery. He looked like a tiny Arendellian Navy officer.

Kristoff’s costume was grayish, wearing a fine cloak over darker clothes – and all with much black embroidery. The only striking contrasts were his gloves, socks, and _bauta_ mask – all white. He had a tricorn hat.

Anna’s costume was dark greenish and was sewn to look like she was a walking forest. Small plush animal heads were sewn to it – giving the piece a sensation of movement and life. Her mask was also a white _bauta_ and her exquisite light green hat teemed with colored plush flowers.

Finally, Elsa’s costume was as close to pure white as they could create; the light blue embroidery made patterns of moving snow from top to bottom. (Anna nicknamed it ‘Avalanche dress’). She also wore a full _volto_ mask (light blueish) which had snowflake patterns around the eyes. Her hat was white, fluffy, and cylindrical, echoing the winter hats from the Tsardom to the east.

The royal family decided to take a stroll in town with the costumes to see what the populace thought about them: kids loved Olaf’s playfulness, men commended Kristoff’s elegance and subtlety, young ladies were all over Elsa’s seemingly moving patterns and the older folk were mesmerized by Anna’s liveliness. Sven even tried to eat one of the plush flowers from her hat!

Now certain their costumes would be a success at the masquerade ball, the final preparations were set for their departure. Kai would act as Regent, with Gerda as the second-in-command. Elsa assigned to them many of the most pressing matters and left instructions to contingencies. All private wings were closed and only the cleaning staff could access it.

They embarked on Arendelle’s flagship _Agnarr_ , while its sister ship _Iduna_ would also be present to protect it during the journey. Waving goodbyes, the royal family went on to the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

As it was spring, the trip went without hardship; Kristoff, as usual, had a bit of seasickness for the first three days; Anna spent most of her time attending to him, while Olaf became the crew’s mascot and tried to help as much as he could. Elsa mostly kept to herself, leaning her hands on the deck and admiring the infinite sea beyond; but she interacted with the crew when they came to talk to her – they loved that she could turn their drinks cold with just a wave of her hand!

After they passed the Strait of Gibraltar, the hot salty air filled their lungs. It was something they’ve appreciated only years ago when the girls went on a world trip to meet the rulers of distant realms. Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf loved it; Elsa felt a bit displeased with it at the beginning, but now she was used to it. The crew was also happier with the weather change – sunny and windy, perfect for navigation – and they even arrived in Venice one day earlier than planned!

The royal family didn’t want to waste such a beautiful day and, dressed in day-to-day clothing (to mingle with the citizenry), they wandered through The Sunken City; met many shopkeepers and curious people; traveled the famous canals; ate exotic foods from the entire world. Anna developed a taste for some bizarre ice cream flavors she discovered there, while Elsa favored the wine and Kristoff the cheese. Olaf was a sensation among the Venetian people! He always had a group of kids nearby, playing with him.

The night brought with tiredness to them all; they went to the fanciest hotel in the city (which is where the ball would take place) and went right to sleep, missing the royal meeting happening at the bar lounge. However, a pair of eyes there took note of their presence.

The next morning, the Arendellian delegation woke up almost at noon; they skipped breakfast and took long baths to endure the upcoming appointments of the day. The event’s invite had a list of things to attend that day and the royal family didn’t want to miss any of them. Olaf was the first one to be ready, followed by Kristoff, Elsa, and Anna. The four wore their official regalia – Elsa’s green icy dress, Anna’s flowery green dress, Kristoff’s court suit, and Olaf… as Olaf.

Lunch was served at many round tables, with each one reserved for a royal delegation. Arendelle’s was put near an appetizer table, which pleased Anna and Kristoff greatly! They were about to assault the food table when Elsa stopped them by icing their feet; only at their promise, they’d wait for the right time she melted the ice. Anna crossed her arms and pouted, while Kristoff kept staring at the food table as if it was calling him. Olaf toyed with the cutlery. Elsa crossed her legs and twisted her waist, looking at the other tables. She recognized many other rulers and/or royal colors; everything looked too uptight and serious.

Then she got wind of the Southern Isles’ table and her heart skipped a bunch of beatings... It was the most crowded one, with one, two, three… _Eleven_ princes. She didn’t see Hans there; her heart resumed its normal rate and her looks also returned to normal. It seems he wasn’t invited there, after all – what was _completely_ understandable. She quickly returned her attention to her table where, to her displeasure, she saw Anna already stuffing her mouth with some strawberries, and Kristoff was doing the same. She just shook her head in denial and waited for the official start of the lunch.

It didn’t take too long: the nearby church bell toiled and, in an instant, a swarm of waiters entered the room with the appetizers and sweet alcoholic beverages. Everyone on all tables enjoyed the well-cooked food and tasty drinks. Half an hour later, the waiters brought the main course – fish, salad, and pasta – and stronger wine. Olaf, not caring much about the food, decided to walk around the tables and interact with people. Some royals liked him, others not so much; the Southerners were the worst of them all, openly dissing the talking snowman.

Finally, the dessert came; Anna almost made the waiter drop the plate he was carrying, gorging at the sweet chocolate mousse as if it was her last day on Earth. Elsa and Kristoff ate theirs with much more finesse.

“I don’t like those folks over there” Olaf said when he returned to his table. The other 3 followed his woody finger and it was pointing at the Southern Isles’ table. Anna frowned at the vision.

“They are Hans’s brothers. It seems being bad run through their veins.”

“Not even a single one treated you well, Olaf?” Kristoff asked.

“No. They think I’m a dwarf in a costume.” The snowman’s visage became quite sad as if he realized what he looked like.

“Don’t pay attention to them, Olaf.” Elsa appealed. “If what Hans told Anna is true, I can only pity them. They live like they’re at each other’s guts all the time.”

“Well, they’re… just eleven. He told me he had twelve brothers.” Anna looked at them, curiously

“Perhaps the missing one is the only one of them with some common sense and skipped being near the others?” Kristoff suggested, to the laughter of the other three.

After everything was eaten and drank, the waiters gathered the dirty dishes and took them away. There was then a musical presentation by a local group, singing a short version of an opera. It was beautiful to hear and watch, as they had colorful and well-made costumes as well as good voices. Afterward, _Signore_ Luccatelli, the organizer of the ball, came forth and told the royal crowd about the events for the day. They were to take an afternoon nap and then get dressed for the ball in the evening; he also told them all the rules and requirements to attend, among other important stuff. The Arendellian family, not really sleepy after waking up so late, decided to visit some Venetian landmarks and even had their portraits painted by a street artist. They were a bit _caricaturesque_ , but Elsa and the others didn’t mind and even asked for the sketches to be prepared for the journey back.

Coming back to the hotel, the four went to their rooms and started dressing up. The boys were ready in minutes, while the girls took a bit more time. When all was set, they put on their masks and walked down to the ballroom.

A festival of colors down there bombarded their eyes! So many props, feathers, plushies, gaudy and exquisite stuff, adornments in their hundreds… Elsa and Anna thought _their_ balls were fancy, but this one broke all their expectations. They looked at each other, smiled (or so Anna thought Elsa smiled, as her mask covered her entire face) and went to their merry ways; Anna held Kristoff’s arm and scurried away with him, while Olaf lost Elsa from his sights. He shrugged and decided to join the fun by himself.

Elsa, even after all that transpired since her coronation day, was still a somewhat shy person and interacted little with the other guests. She walked past them, admiring their awesome costumes and imagining how much toil and refined materials were required to craft that stuff. The perfumes also assaulted her senses – a mixture of scents from all over the globe played with her nose. The accents and languages spoken created havoc in her mind; she couldn’t understand them all and tried to avoid conversation when offered by people she couldn’t perceive what they were speaking.

Past one or two hours, the queen felt a bit of strain and found a chair, on which she sat. 

Elsa started to feel a bit hot and waved a discreet icy breeze at her neck; suddenly, a fan was produced in front of her and its fanning was much more powerful than her breeze. She felt relieved by the strangers’ kindness and looked at the person… it was a man, sporting the Southern Isles colors.

‘ _Ugh_.’

The man was tall, svelte, wide shoulders, trim waist, and wore a red costume. His clothes were of finest silk and cotton, with rich golden embroidery at the edges and white ones forming naval motifs. His _volto_ mask was gilded with wavy patterns and his hat formed a satirical crown. And yet, his most striking feature was his eyes – she could see two emerald disks staring at her glacial blues.

Elsa immediately flushed her face at being the center of his attention. While she welcomed the fan, it was a bit unnerving to be under his gaze. She turned her head, exposing the sweaty neck at him.

“I hope I’m not making Your Highness uncomfortable.” The man spoke. His voice had a tone that wasn’t too unfamiliar to the platinum blonde, but the mask muffled it to a point she couldn’t recognize it. For all she knew, he was one of the Southern Isles’ boys. She took some seconds to answer him.

“Not… at all, Your Highness. I was a little preoccupied with thoughts of my duties back home.”

“Isn’t this place where one goes to forget such matters?”

“I’m a young q-“ Elsa cut short her response. The whole idea of a masquerade ball was to hide one’s identity; there, everyone was just a royal, without a fancier title than the next person. She couldn’t reveal her position or the mystery would go away.

“I’m a young princess. Nothing to inherit but my dreams. I’m like a spare.”

“You’re someone important there, I can notice. And also here. To me, at least.”

She could imagine the rascal’s smile the bold man must have behind his mask. But his fanning was too good and he at least spoke her language.

“There are so many other interesting women in this ball. Why do you bother yourself with me?”

“Because you’re the only one to have caught my eye. The others act like the normal princesses they are. YOU don’t.”

Elsa looked at the man. He wasn’t a simple upstart trying to score an easy girl – he wanted someone _regal_. That meant she wouldn’t shake him off her tail anytime soon.

“Look. I thank you for the fan, but now I’m cool enough to enjoy the party again.”

The man stopped with the fanning, closed his fan, and stored it in one of many hidden compartments of his costume. He turned his upper body, looking at the party for a second or two. Then, he returned his eyes to Elsa.

“You’ve been _enjoying_ the party for more than two hours, my lady. And, yet, I found you at this corner, trying to hide. I would guess you’re not enjoying the party at all!”

“Don’t presume what I enjoy or not, you… scoundrel!” Elsa wasn’t mad at him – she even agreed with the points he made – but he was being too audacious to her liking. She stood up, made a small curtsy, and walked past him.

“Excuse me, my lord. But I have business to attend to.”

“Of course, my lady!” The man bowed slightly at her. “But, if you feel hot again, please meet me at this same place. I have a suggestion for you.”

She stopped, looking back at him. He could feel the curiosity gnawing at her.

“In one hour, perhaps. I wouldn’t wait, though.” The queen said.

“Some people are worth waiting for.”

He couldn’t see it, but Elsa’s eyes went wide at such a brassy statement. She left, with another impression of that man.

Anna and Kristoff were eating stuff from the cold cuts plate and sipping white wine. They noticed Elsa walking nearby and waved at her; she waved back and came to them.

“So, how’s the party?” Kristoff asked while eating a slice of cheese.

“Tiresome.” The ruler of Arendelle didn’t sound like someone having much fun. “Too many people in a too-small place. I feel squeezed out of air here.”

“We could go downtown.” Anna suggested. “But only after we finish this plate. It’s so delicious! Mmpf!”

Her older sister wasn’t interested in anything edible for now; instead, she unconsciously looked around.

“Looking for something? Or perhaps… _someone_?” Kristoff asked her, with malice in his visage. Elsa jolted her head to him and, while nobody could see, she wasn’t happy.

“Someone? What are you implying, Kristoff?”

“Oh, _nothing_.” He put his right hand over his chest and looked at the ceiling, speaking with a mocking tone. “ _I_ am not the one who disappeared for _two_ hours.”

Anna noticed Kristoff’s tone and looked at Elsa, while still eating a slice of ham. She swallowed it and produced an enormous smile.

“Oooh, are you seeing someone, Elsa? Your true love, perhaps? _Tee-hee_!”

“Oh, stop it, you two.” Elsa crossed her arms and looked away.

“Sis, this is one of the most interesting places to find a lover. Everyone is on equal footing here!” Anna pointed at a person in a yellow and purple costume. “That woman is from Corona. But I don’t have the slightest idea if she’s the queen or a princess! Or even if she’s a party crasher!”

“Anna is right, Elsa. We’ve spoken with some of them and they are amazing people!” Kristoff completed.

Elsa shrugged and waved her hands at her sides.

“I don’t know. I just wanted to have fun and forget a bit about my troubles in Arendelle. But I’m second-guessing my decision to come here…”

Anna grabbed her sister’s right arm.

“Elsa. I asked for us to come here, but I trust your judgment on anything involving us. If you said we could come, it’s because you knew it was right for us to do it.” She then let go of her sister and smiled. “If you’re tired, we can take you to your room and even leave a bottle of wine there.”

The queen sighed heavily, again defeated by her sister’s.

“I’ll give this another shot. But you’ll better uphold the wine offer!” She then took Anna’s glass and drank all the wine it was there. She returned the empty glass to her sister and, pointing her two index fingers at the couple, Elsa back walked to the party.

“5 crowns she’ll end up with the worst swindler of this party.” Kristoff dared Anna.

“You didn’t just bet against my sister! 10 crowns she won’t!”

“It’s a deal.”

Elsa tried to have fun and talk with other rulers and royal blood, but most of them had the same inane talking about their problems back home. She even spoke with one or two Southern Islanders, but they were much more direct and less polite than the one she met earlier. The woman finally decided to meet him again and discover more about him – his name, at least.

When she arrived at the same corner they’ve met before, he wasn’t there. There were people from other courts and even _Signore_ Luccaretti, helping a girl that passed out after drinking too much. Elsa was about to leave when she felt a touch on her left arm; looking back, the man was there.

“Forgive me, my lady. But I’m glad to see you came back.”

“I… was just looking at that poor girl’s circumstances.”

“Oh, yes. Poor rose.” He stirred his glass and then moved his mask a bit to drink the wine. Elsa caught a glimpse of his lower face and noticed he had a beard, red as his costume.

“Liking what you see?” He put the mask back to its place and tilted his head a bit in her direction. Elsa rolled her eyes. “Oh, apologies. I didn’t mean to stare.”

“Believe me, I have no issue with that.”

“So… what’s your name, my lord?”

“My name is… Lars. And yours, _mademoiselle_?”

“E…Eliza.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Eliza.” The man tenderly grabbed her right hand with his and kissed it. It was a funny sensation to be kissed by a mask.

“Likewise, Lord Lars.”

Lars looked at the windows and then back at _Eliza_.

“May I invite you for a saunter on the pier outside, Lady Eliza? It’s quite inviting tonight.”

Elsa was surprised by his invite. She wanted to know more about him and perhaps he could have more topics to talk about than the same stuff the other royals always spoke on and on.

“You may, Lord Lars.” Lars then showed his left arm, to which she latched on with her right arm. They then left the ballroom towards a double door.

Immediately leaving the ballroom was quite refreshing to the girl. The salty air was welcoming, the reduced noise was appealing and the lack of so many colors pacified her mind. Now, all she had was the moonlight and its light over the calm ocean, the gently rocking of the boats anchored at the pier, and… his perfume. It was so good. She didn’t notice it before, but now her nose wanted to be as close to him as it was possible. The feeling was rapturing to her mind. She even clutched her hands over his arm. 

“Is everything well, Lady Eliza?”

“Oh, apologies! I didn’t mean to do that. I’m just… more relaxed now.”

“Fear not, you didn’t harm me.”

They walked slowly, enjoying each step they took in the company of each other. His pace was firm and surefooted; he clearly had military training. Her high heels made it difficult to keep the pace, so she waved her hands a bit and transformed her shoes into flat shoes – allowing her to walk a bit more like him.

Few minutes passed and all they did was stare at the city at night. The lights, the sounds, the smells, the shadows; everything was charming. Nothing like that happened in Arendelle.

“This place is magical, isn’t it?” Lars's voice broke the silence nearby them.

“What?”

“I feel so much better here. It’s calm, it’s full of experiences and products from around the world and… I met you.” He looked at her and Elsa could imagine his dreamy face under the mask. She looked at him a bit and then back to the city.

“I’m flattered, Lord Lars. You’re a true gentleman.” A bit of silence followed until Elsa thought it was the right time.

“Your Highness… may I ask something?”

“Go ahead, Your Highness.”

“Why are you so different from your brothers?”

Elsa could feel his muscles moving under her hands. He didn’t like the question.

“The King of the Southern Isles isn’t a caring soul.” Lars said. He took some time to talk again. “He emphasizes might over mind; the strong prey on the weak.”

The queen studied him; he was tense and an angry tone could be heard from his voice. Still, she let him speak.

“Thus, he only really cares for the older sons. The younger have one use: to be the older sons’ first targets of his _philosophy_. They stole their toys, they beat them up, they stole girlfriends, they told lies about them, they gave them only scraps at the table.”

The platinum blonde gasped at such revelations and gently tapped her fingers on his arm. He relaxed a bit after that and motioned for them to sit at a nearby bench.

“The one to suffer the most was Hans, our youngest brother. I am the second youngest, so at first I was relieved of not being the current joke of the family.” Lars sighed. “However, when I saw what happened to me to another person – someone more defenseless – I got mad. I helped him in any way I could. The only other person to ever treat Hans well was our beloved mother. She is the most beautiful soul to have ever lived on this accursed Earth.”

Elsa noticed that a small tear formed under his mask and fell to the ground. What he was saying came from his inner core – subjects he probably couldn’t talk to anyone else.

“I am sorry for asking you about that. Please, let’s change the subject.”

Lars looked at _Eliza_ with surprise.

“Oh, I’m sorry for bothering you with such sad stories. Certainly, you want to talk about happier events.”

“You’re not bothering me at all.” He couldn’t see, but it was clear the woman was smiling under her mask. He felt propelled to continue the conversation.

“Well, you’ve heard almost half of it already… might as well finish it.”

She gently nodded in affirmation.

“My mother and I tried to give Hans the best education and training we could. He was an apt learner, but our brothers’ bullying and our father’s complete disregard for him gave the poor boy serious setbacks.”

Elsa couldn’t believe that she was listening to the story of the man who tried to steal her throne and left her sister for dead. Not a day ago she couldn’t care less if Hans was alive or dead… but now, she was sorry. Of course, she was listening to it from one of his brothers and not himself – what gave his backstory much more credibility.

“May I ask how he did end up in Arendelle?”

“Ah, that was mostly me. It came to our knowledge that Arendelle’s new queen was about to be crowned and we had to send a representative of our realm there. As Arendelle is a remote and small kingdom, none of my older brothers cared enough to go there – even the ones who were single!”

Elsa thanked for the fact she was wearing a mask, as what Lars just told her was a bit offensive. Arendelle, _remote_ and _small_? It is the best place on Earth! Lars wasn’t done, though.

“The only one who could go was Hans. I told him to go there and try his luck. He was – and still is! – a handsome fellow. Smart, quick-thinking, and polite. Imagine what he could’ve been if he was treated well by the rest of the family. A true king material!” The woman noticed how his voice raised, but now with a happy intonation. Lars admired his little brother.

“It was his destiny to marry the queen of Arendelle and have his happy thereafter. No one that went through what he did – and I know _that_ very well – deserved that more than him. Still…”

Elsa held her breath. Now, she’d know how Hans’s family received the news of his _misadventures_.

“…he acted differently than how we thought he would. There was this darker part of him we couldn’t excise and it took control of my poor brother. Now, he’s disgraced and lost his chance in Arendelle.”

“What happened to him? I’ve heard he had to collect manure.”

“Yes. He came back, only I and Mother were there to welcome him back. Mother was crying and I, disappointed. He was mad, though. He was still thinking about _why_ his plan didn’t work, and not _why_ he went with it at all.”

“Hmm. It seems the trip back wasn’t long enough for him to think about his actions.”

Lars looked at _Eliza_ and it seemed he could have an inquisitive face.

“The trip wasn’t. But the punishment was. He was brought to our father’s presence; I and our other brothers were present. All of them were smirking and teasing him for his failure.

“That’s less than what he deserved!” He could feel the displeasure of Lady Eliza’s tone.

“Anyway, Father then laid out what he would do: he would disinherit Hans and exile him. He was a disgrace to the Southern Isles royal legacy. Mother appealed to him to not disinherit and ask their son if another option was available than exile.”

“And your father agreed? Why?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps a tiny bit of his soul cared enough for Hans? A son he never treated well, would get no lands or riches when he passed away? I guess he was a bit astonished by the fact Hans tried to get a kingdom for himself without his or any of his brothers’ help?”

That last phrase turned a switch in Elsa’s mind. Even if Hans failed, what he did was exactly what his father advocated.

“Are you telling me your father finally had a moment to be… _proud_ of his youngest son?”

“Probably. His older sons just had lucky marriages to amass power and influence. Hans tried to get that on his own. As it may be, Father decided to let Hans choose his penance. And I understand why he opted for manure… he could be close to Sitron, his horse.”

“What were the other options?”

“I don’t remember exactly. But I think one of them was to marry a lesser noble from an even smaller kingdom to the east. He refused.”

“Why? He would have a family to care for!”

“Because he’s ambitious. He would never settle for a county lost in the middle of nowhere. Also, he loves his horse a lot – they grew up together. He plans on taking Sitron with him, no matter where he goes.”

The queen thought Hans loved nothing but himself, but that was a startling revelation.

“And now? Where is he?”

“After his penance ended, he decided our land was too small for him. After tasting a bit of liberty in Arendelle, he couldn’t stand our brothers and Father again. He packed up his things, his horse, and left to explore the world.”

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

“The short answer would be _I don’t know_. The longer answer would be _I saw him taking the boat to the west. He might be in Britannia, in Spain, or even farther away._ ”

The couple remained silent for some minutes after Lars’s answer. He felt that a huge weight left his shoulders, after telling his brother’s story to someone so attentive. Elsa was digesting everything in her mind. Hans could’ve returned with an army or disguised to take on Arendelle again, but… her entire realm was just a moment of his life. It was now just a lesson to him. Lars’s earlier words – ‘ _Arendelle was remote and small_ ’ – still rang in her ears. It gave her a sense of self-realization that Arendelle was just a piece for others to play with in a greater game. Whoever she married would also be part of it. She looked back at the party, where every soul there was living on the pretense that they ruled their destiny. Yet, Elsa wanted to believe people couldn’t be so miserable. Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, the palace staff, the people of Arendelle… Elsa knew people could be better.

“Lord Lars… did Hans’s even once tell you he was sorry for what he did?”

Lars stared at Elsa for some time, trying to come up with an answer.

“I’ve never heard him say that, but I guess he was. If someone brought the _Arendelle_ topic to him, he would say ‘ _the past is in the past’_ and that he moved on; the girls were better without him and that kind of stuff.”

“The past is in the past…” Elsa rummaged through those words. They were known to her.

“Speaking of the past, Lord Lars… At lunch, I’ve counted eleven brothers from the Southern Isles. But here at the party, I’ve noticed there are twelve of them. Care to explain that?”

“Oh, I came later. As you well know, my brothers are pricks, and I rather not be with them, if possible. I took another boat to come here and bad weather in the way delayed it. Was it good?”

“Oh, it was delicious! It’s a pity you’ve missed it.”

“I’ll be sure to come earlier to the next ball. Oh, and only if you’ll come, too.”

Lars moved his right hand and gently grabbed Elsa’s; she was taken aback, but after all their talk she had mellowed a bit and let him do it. His touch was warm; similar to Anna’s, but with a different energy. She liked it.

“Wait.” Elsa’s eyes went wide at another realization.

“Yes, Lady Eliza?”

“Lord Lars, if Hans was the only brother interested in going to Arendelle… either you didn’t want to go there or you were already married back then.” The queen released her grasp and stood up. He was dumb folded.

“I…”

“Where is your wife? Don’t you have shame? To flirt with another woman?”

“Lady Eliza!” Lars heaved himself up, a few centimeters from Elsa. “I am not married. Never was.”

“Then… you didn’t think much of Arendelle, did you? A _remote_ and _small_ kingdom in the middle of _nowhere_!”

“Your Highness, you-“

“Don’t you come with ‘Your Highness’ at me!” She was exasperated. “You sent Hans to marry me! Why didn’t YOU come there? Was I not desirable?”

She gasped. She revealed herself to a stranger. The masquerade ball! It was ruined!

“Marry you? …Queen Elsa?”

She held her two hands over her masked mouth, in horror. She wanted to run, but Lars seized her right arm.

“Let me go!”

“Queen Elsa. You were not only desirable, but you were also preferable.”

That word. _Preferable_. Someone told that about her to Anna. Someone she knew. Someone she once despised, but now… she didn’t know what to feel.

“Who are you?” The queen demanded. She crossed her arms and tapped her right foot nervously.

“It’s only fair for me to reveal myself, as well.” Lars slowly removed his mask, revealing his face. Although he now had a beard, his eyes stared at Elsa. The eyes of Hans.

“I can’t believe that. You’ve lied to me! This entire evening!” She threw her arms to the air.

“This is a masquerade ball. The entire point of it is lying.”

“I don’t like lies.” Elsa removed her mask and stared at the man, fury in her eyes. She was as beautiful as she was back then – her blue eyes, her tiny nose, her pretty lips, her cute freckles. And a bit of her gorgeous blonde hair was escaping her hat.

“How can I believe in anything you’ve told me? I could believe ‘Lars’ or whoever, but not you!”

“It seems my lesson for you was well-learned.”

Elsa couldn’t control herself anymore and slapped Hans with her right hand. She was furious; his left cheek became almost as red as his beard.

“OW!”

“You deserve many more! You…” Her hands became fists and she half-pounded Hans’s chest for a couple of seconds with the side of her hand. He put his hands over her shoulders, stopping her. They gazed at each other.

“Why, Hans? Why not come for me instead of Anna?”

“You were unapproachable. I planned on marrying you, but others have tried and they had no success. Anna was…”

“Do not finish that.” She pointed a finger at him. “You gave up because others told you that? Hans, I barely acknowledged their attempts.”

“And that doesn’t prove my point?”

“I had my problems to deal with; you surely know them very well by now.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of your story too.”

“I only had Anna and the castle staff to care for me. My parents died when I was young. I only have them, Kristoff and Olaf in my life. You’ve almost taken my sister from me!”

“Wait a second.” Hans released Elsa and took a step back. “YOU pierced her heart with your magic. All I did was tell her my _diabolical_ plan and extinguish the fireplace. She would die with or without me.”

Elsa pointed her arms at Hans and had a vicious expression on her face. Hans remembered that; it was the same back in her ice palace when she was about to kill Weselton’s guards.

“Oh, now you’re ready to be the monster they fear you are?”

Just like back then, those words broke Elsa’s concentration. She recovered her composure and righted her stance.

“Do your brothers even know you’re here?”

“They don’t. And I believe you now know why.”

The platinum blonde stared at the ground, rewinding her memories of the evening. Hans stood still, waiting.

“I guess… there are some similarities between you and me.” She finally spoke. “But why did you go with this ‘Lars’ persona?”

“Because he _is_ the only brother that cares about me. You may not believe in me, but if you ever meet him, he’ll tell you the same story. And so will Mother.” Saying that, Hans walked back to the bench and sat there, toying with his mask. “You’d never agree to talk to _Hans_ , anyway. Not while you still thought I’m the same person I was.”

She slowly approached him, wary. He removed his ‘crown’ and stroked his hair a bit.

“I’ve traveled a lot. Saw many wonders and terrors. The world is cozy back in Arendelle, but the greater world is dangerous. I lost friends I met on my travels.” He put his right hand over his heart. “I miss them. They treated me like a human being, not as a spare or a clown to be laughed at. I even had a girl. She’s gone, too. And here I am, back to the old game.”

He didn’t hear any answer from Elsa. He chose to not look back at her again. It was just a fleeting moment. ‘ _Once upon a dream’_ , as the fairy tales he read in the past told him. He should forget her. Still, there was an ongoing party and they had to deal with that.

“What now, Your Majesty? Should we return to the party and pretend to have never met each-“

He was surprised by what happened: Elsa came from behind and hugged him. Her long arms crossed his chest and her hands landed on his arms. Her perfume was subtle but smelled good.

“Elsa…”

“Shh. Just enjoy it.”

“Enjoy a surprise _hug_ from an ice sorcerer that hates me?”

“Hey! And I never _hated_ you. I disdained you, which is different. And now that your story is known to me, perhaps a different take is needed.”

“And what would that be, Queen Elsa?”

At that moment, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf left the party, looking for Elsa. They found her embracing someone on a bench. It was dark and they couldn’t see who he was, but Kristoff was all smiles and extended his hand towards his fiancee. 

“Pay up, Anna.”


End file.
